Los Primeros Dias.

Well, we´re HERE!!!!!

DAY 1
Yesterday was a very looooong day. We woke up around 4 a.m. to get ready to head to the airport. We boarded around 7:55 to head to Miami. We arrived in Miami around 10. The airport was interesting, to say the least. Majority of the conversations we overheard were in spanish and all of the announcements were said in both english and spanish. We weren´t there for long before it was time to board our next plane. The flight to Costa was a smooth one and we arrived in Costa Rica just before lunch time. We were greeted by our Outward Bound leaders Britten, Orlando, and Jesus (but its pronounced hey-zeus lol). We prepared all our camping gear and ate a delicous Costa Rican dish as we waited for Gordon to finally arrive. Unfortunately most of us were not awake once he got to base camp because it was lights out at 8pm. We were able to sleep peacefully knowing that Jason was there to get all the bugs out of our beds.

Before we went to bed, we received our ¨jobs¨ for the next today. Yuliya was the ¨cacique,¨ meaning that she is the only one with a watch. We are truly on ¨Tico Time¨ now, just going with the flow.

DAY 2
Today has been a long day as well. We woke up around 5:00am to head to the Amubri village in the Talamanca region. Some people like Lindsey, slept almost the entire ride while others like Emily made bracelets to occupy the time. We stopped to eat breakfast burritos at a truck stop on the way and took a bathroom break, and we´re still gettting used to the fact that we can´t flush the toilet paper. If today´s ride was an ice cream flavor it would be Rocky Road, and this especially held true as we entered more rural areas. After about a five hour drive, the road ended at the shore of a river and we wondered how we would cross. But first, we had to eat lunch which was prepared by our ¨cocineros¨ Ashton, Kelsey, and Gordon. We loaded our gear and ourselves into wooden canoes and rode to the other side to find a cattle truck waiting to take us to our final destination: Amubri.

We are staying in a beautiful area, surrounded by greenery and hibiscus flowers. Raised huts house our mattresses which are made with matching sheets and comfy pillows, complete with mosquito nets over them. This was a very welcome surprise! Gordon, Kellen, and Hunter, however, decided to string up their hammocks on the beams of the hut...I guess we´ll see how that turns out tonight, especially since Hunter just fell out of one (don´t worry...he´s not hurt). We also have a hang-out hut, complete with hammocks and this lovely computer on which we are typing. This has definitely been a popular spot today. The bathrooms sit behind the hut, where the showers are cold yet refreshing due to the hot weather. We also have a kitchen, and we´re eager to taste our first meal in Amubri.

Since arriving in Amubri we have made many new friends. Most of our new friends are adorable little children, but Kelsey befriended a little lizard that she has lovingly named Thompson. Kari, Angela, Kellen, and Kimmie visited the local school and met some local kids.
It´s been raining off and on, but I guess that´s what you get when you´re living in the rainforest.

We would like to wish Dr. Oneal (El Señor) a very special Feliz Cumpleaños!

Las Hanashitas,
Jocelyn & Erin :)


Quotes from the Day(s):

Jason: ¨Dear Diary: Kari only shaves one armpit...¨

Jocelyn: "Ummm...do you think I´d be able to paint my nails on the drive tomorrow?¨

Hunter: ¨What are the chances that I wake up as a beautful butterfly?¨

Kelsey: ¨It´s kind of sketchy writing with this pencil.¨
Yuliya: ¨I like your pun.¨


P.S. sorry we won´t be able to upload any of the lovely pictures Dr. Oneal (La Señora) has been taking all trip, but the computer is limited.